Author: Created by flabs84. What Were They Like? The poem What Were They Like? Levertov could be using sound to represent the path of her marriage, with the happiness they once had being disrupted by the ‘ache’ that began to set in, unhappiness beginning to take over. Levertov writes her poem with a sense of sadness. Poems are the property of their respective owners. by Denise Levertov, reprinted by permission of New Directions on behalf of Denise Levertov. The first speaker, for instance, may be curious, annoyed or calm; the second may be polite, sarcastic or upset. The title of the poem suggests that the people of Vietnam are no more because of the war, they've been wiped out. Denise Levertov was born in Ilford, Essex, England, on October 24, 1923. Thank you. The poet was also influenced by Charles Olson’s essay “Projective Verse,” published in 1950, in which the entire focus remains on “the possibilities of breath” and the kinetics of a poem. One such protester was Denise Levertov, a British-born poet who moved to America and added her voice to the fray. Sir, their light hearts turned to stone. What Were They Like The Poem we have studied is 'What Were They Like' which was written in the 1960's by Denise Levertov. Levertov's 'What Were They Like?' Did they distinguish between speech and singing? Denise Levertov was a anti war protester, who protested about the loss of the Vietnamese culture and the cruelty of the Americans. of poet Denise Levertov. Were they inclined to quiet laughter? Did the people of Viet Nam Use lanterns of stone? Did they hold ceremonies to reverence the opening of buds? The responder's identity is also not clear; s/he might be a Vietnamese person, a junior soldier, a tour or museum guide or a student. Did they distinguish between speech and singing? Did they use bone and ivory, jade and silver, for ornament? Did they hold ceremonies to reverence the opening of buds? There are clearly two speakers in this poem (the questioner and the responder) but it is not immediately clear who they are or what attitudes they have. Sir, their light hearts turned to stone. She had strong antiwar feelings that she expressed through her poetry. Her father, Paul Levertoff, was a descendant of Schneour Zalman, who founded This poem has not been translated into any other language yet. or any number of other people. Second slide may be used as a starter activity by asking the students to respond to the imagery. Did they use bone and ivory, jade and silver, for ornament? The poem What Were They Like? Denise Levertov war die Tochter einer walisischen Mutter und des russischen Priesters der anglikanischen Kirche Paul Philip Levertoff, der vom Judentum konvertiert war.Sie erhielt ihre schulische Ausbildung durch Privatunterricht. The last few slides have been reformatted in the question answer format. it is not remembered. Resource with a powerpoint lesson presentation on the poem What were they like? Life and war are terms in complete opposition. 2. What Were They Like? Try reading the poem using different combinations of tone to get this effect. I knew that line was wrong but couldn't quite remember the correct line. Did the people of Viet Nam use lanterns of stone? Sir, their light hearts turned to stone. Try reading the poem using different combinations of tone to get this effect. Did they use bone and ivory, Jade and silver, for ornament? by Denise Levertov (no rating) 0 customer reviews. 5.Had they an epic poem? Content, ideas, language and structure are explored. stone LANTERNS illumined pleasant ways. Did they hold ceremonies to reverence the opening of buds? Did they hold ceremonies to reverence the opening of buds? Please add your comments. Did the people of Viet Nam use lanterns of stone? The people of Vietnam are portrayed as gentle, peace-loving, and family-oriented. Underneath all of this, however, is the poet's voice. The message to the reader is that war only causes death and destruction. What Were They Like? Comparisons and alternative interpretations are considered. The poem opens with the oxymoron title “Life at War” that “prefigures the ‘impossible’ juxtapositions” that will appear later on in the poem (Rodgers 85). Priscilla Denise Levertov (24 October 1923 – 20 December 1997) was an American poet. Denise Levertov wrote "What Were They Like?" A dream ago, perhaps. Were they inclined to quiet laughter? Jump to navigation Jump to search. " Levertov makes a very interesting point with her poem her not just in content but also they way it is laid out. Denise Levertov And A Summary of What Were They Like? What Were They Like? Did the people of Viet Nam use lanterns of stone? Preview. Denise Levertov, one of the most important American poets, was born in Ilford, Essex, England, in 1923. They should read: Did the people of Viet Nam use lanterns of stone? The first half of the poem, above, are questions a citizen might ask a soldier returning from war. Were they inclined to quiet laughter? Denise Levertov was born in Ilford, Essex, England, on October 24, 1923. by Denise Levertov criticises the destructiveness of war. 3.Were they inclined to quiet laughter? Loss, regret and even anger also run subtly throughout the poem. 4.Did they use bone and ivory jade and silver, for ornament? Her father, raised a Hasidic Jew, had converted to Christianity while attending university in Germany. Did the people of Viet Nam use lanterns of stone? Did they hold ceremonies To reverence the opening of buds? It is not remembered whether in gardens What Were They Like? Complete summary of Denise Levertov's What Were They Like?. 'What Were They Like?' She was a recipient of the Lannan Literary Award for Poetry . How you ‘read’ the questioner and responder characters will affect the way in which the attitudes and themes within the poem are revealed. - questions A straightforward question sheet to follow a reading of the poem. Apart from “What Were They Like?,” the poem “Life at War” is one of Levertov’s well-known political poems. Denise Levertov Poetry? Her work embraced a wide variety of genres and themes, including nature lyrics, love poems, protest poetry, and poetry inspired by her faith in God. Remember, most were peasants; their life was in rice and bamboo. It packs back ground information and analysis. Poem Hunter all poems of by Denise Levertov poems. Our tips from experts and exam survivors will help you through. This is a lesson on a poem which explores the consequences of the American attacks on Vietnam during the war. And she certainly didn't mince words about it. The first person asks the second man how the people from ‘’Viet Nam’’ were like and also about their way of life. The Destruction of Sennacherib by Lord Byron, Climbing My Grandfather by Andrew Waterhouse, Home Economics: Food and Nutrition (CCEA). Her father, raised a Hasidic Jew, had converted to Christianity while attending university in Germany. It is not remembered whether in gardens is a poem by Denise Levertov written as a protest against the Vietnam War, envisaging a future where the " genocide " that the American bombing campaign began has been completed, and nothing is known of Vietnam or its culture. During the course of a prolific career, Denise Levertov created a highly regarded body of poetry that reflected her beliefs as an artist and a humanist. What Were They Like By Denise Levertov 1. The questioner could be a reporter, an army officer, a tourist, an. Sir, their light hearts turned to stone. Read about our approach to external linking. by Denise Levertov criticises the destructiveness of war. Denise Levertov ⇒ What Were They Like? What were they like? All the bones were charred. Had they an epic poem? Innocence. Had they an epic poem? There is a mistake in the following lines: Perhaps they gathered once to delight in blossom, but after their children were killed there were no more buds. In it, Levertov imagines a future in which the Vietnamese people and their culture have been more or less wiped out by the war. The next half is the same structure as the first numbered one to six with responses correlating to the questions almost like an interview process. The first speaker, for instance, may be curious, annoyed or calm; the second may be polite, sarcastic or upset. Throughout her poem, Levertov plays with this dualism revealing at the same time that the … is currently included in the Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9–1) English Literature poetry anthology, [4] and the Conflict cluster of the OCR GCSE (9-1) English Literature poetry anthology, 'Towards a World Unknown.' is an unusual poem because it takes the form of a question and answer session between two people who are looking back at the culture of Vietnam, following the Vietnam war (1955-75). About Denise Levertov. Sir, laughter is bitter to the burned mouth. Had they an epic poem? She deliberately used the matter of fact questioning to portray what Americans were seeing every night on television. By the time Denise was born he had settled in England and become an Anglican parson. Through her poetic skills, she is able to build up a new poetic vision. Content, ideas, language and structure are explored. Were they inclined to quiet laughter? The poem was written in protest of American involvement in the Vietnam War. How you ‘read’ the questioner and responder characters will affect the way in which the attitudes and themes within the poem are revealed. Did they distinguish between speech and singing? Did they use bone and ivory, jade and silver, for ornament? Ornament is for joy. What Were They Like?, Talking To Grief, Aware by Denise Levertov. Beyond's What Were They Like analysis GCSE worksheets are perfect for use as exam preparation, homework or basic revision under the Edexcel syllabus. The speaker asks about their use of decorative stones, lanterns and ceremonies. She was staunchly against the violence of war and the cost of its destruction to humanity. Did they distinguish between speech and singing? It features in the Edexcel anthology of Literature exam poems. Leben. What Were They Like? What Were They Like Analysis GCSE Worksheet. Download the adaptable Word resource (subscribers only) Download the free PDF resource (free members and subscribers) See other resources: Anthology poetry for Edexcel (2015 onwards) Conflict | Anthology poetry for OCR (2015 onwards) | Levertov, Denise More resources by this contributor (1) … Denise Levertov, an English-born American poet, published "What Were They Like" as part of her 1967 collection The Sorrow Dance. in protest against the Vietnam War. Were they inclined to quiet laughter? There are clearly two speakers in this poem (the questioner and the responder) but it is not immediately clear who they are or what attitudes they have. stone gardens illumined pleasant ways. As part of english coursework I have to find out why, on the first line of this poem are the words Viet Nam seperated. by Denise Levertov. The poem "What were they like?’’ is presented as a conversation between the people. 'What Were They Like?' This is furthered by the use of caesura , ‘tongue, beloved,’ disrupting the meter of the line and causing a breakdown of metrical flow, representing Levertov’s failing marriage. Did they use bone and ivory, jade and silver, for ornament? Although she is critical about the way a nation and its culture could be disregarded, this is done very subtly through the way the poem is set out. 77 poems of Denise Levertov. eNotes plot summaries cover all the significant action of What Were They Like?. The questioner could be a reporter, an army officer, a tourist, an anthropologist or any number of other people. Did they distinguish between speech and … What Were They Like? Sign in, choose your GCSE subjects and see content that's tailored for you. Sir, their light hearts turned to stone. Had they an epic poem? Had they an epic poem? The responder's identity is also not clear; s/he might be a Vietnamese person, a junior soldier, a tour or museum guide or a student. In this unusually structured poem, Denise Levertov makes the reader think about the effect war has on the population and culture of a country, with specific reference to the Vietnam War (1955 – 75). What Were They Like? " The images Levertov uses in "What Were They Like"—clouds reflected in … Did they hold ceremonies to reverence the opening of buds? Denise Levertov is well-recognized to combine her own personal experience with historical facts. 6.Did they distinguish between… Created: Jun 29, 2017 | Updated: Feb 22, 2018. By the time Denise was born he had settled in England and become an Anglican parson. by Denise Levertov. Here you will find the Poem What Were They Like? Denise Levertov Poetry? In "What Were They Like?" Major themes within the poem include: war, culture and anger.